Soham Bhure

After two enjoyable years of my journey at USC, the thing I will miss the most is the amazing roommates I’ve had over the 22 months. I’ve often been caught by other friends boasting about the bond between my flatmates. However, after witnessing multiple conflicts between other students and their roommates, I am not only grateful but also quietly proud of the bond we have managed to cultivate. Soon, everyone will move to different cities for their jobs, but the fun we shared is something I will cherish for years to come.

From my favorite comedy series (and arguably the greatest) – The Office, one dialogue from the finale really stands out for me: “I wish there was a way to know you’re in ‘the good old days’ before you’ve actually left them.” Being a fan and understanding the depth of this quote, I endeavored to live as if I knew these were the “good old days,” especially during my time with my roommates.

Not to sound too corporate, but each of them brought something unique to the table, not only in terms of skills but also in their behaviors and ways of living. Among the many lessons learned, I’ve highlighted the one that inspired me the most from each roommate. Hopefully, I can implement these lessons in my life.

(I have replaced their names with the vowels. Five vowels for five roommates, a nice coincidence XD)

A: Create One’s Own Happiness

In my second week living with the new roommates, I was cooking in the kitchen when suddenly, I heard a loud cry from one of the bedrooms. Rushing to check what was wrong, I found ‘A’ laughing and enjoying some funny content on his phone. He didn’t care how others might interpret the noise; he was just laughing from the bottom of his heart.

Although he was the quietest among us, his laughter was unmatched. If you were busy and heard a sudden burst of laughter (the kind you’ve never heard before), it was always ‘A’ enjoying something amusing. Whether it was watching Tom and Jerry or scrolling through Instagram reels, his laughter was proportional to the content’s silliness. Being silly at times never hurt anyone – comedians make an entire career out of it. He had a fun Bollywood dance playlist for work, and although I didn’t quite match the vibe, watching him sing along, filling in only the words he knew, was entertaining.

He needed no external validation to be happy; he was sufficient for himself. This made me wonder about how many external factors influence our happiness. As someone wisely said, “Happiness is a choice,” and ‘A’ showcased this by creating his own happiness and laughing loudest, especially at home.

E: Caring Like Family

It was my first time flying from LA to SF. The journey was uneventful, the typical experience one hopes to quickly get through. But during the journey, E messaged me three times to check if I had reached the airport gates on time and to ensure I had a safe trip. This wasn’t exclusive to me; all the roommates received similar messages or calls whenever someone went on a short trip. Such simple gestures showed there was someone who truly cared about our well-being, far from home.

E’s considerate behavior extended beyond messages and calls. He made sure there was enough food for all six of us at each meal and called everyone not home by bedtime, among many other responsible actions.

It wasn’t long before the six of us bonded, but E added a “family” vibe to our group. His concern brought us closer, embodying responsible behavior I deeply admire. It’s easy to be engrossed in one’s own life; caring for and looking out for others is harder.

I: Socialize and Network

Six months into our course, while students struggled to land a single on-campus job, ‘I’ had already secured four offers (‘I’ is the roommate, not me, lol). Until then, I had only heard about the importance of developing “networking” and “socializing” skills, but here was someone who had actively worked on these skills and showed remarkable progress.

‘I’ made a ton of new friends in the first semester alone and was jokingly named the “social network.” Almost every other weekend, he hung out with new friends and invited people from different academic backgrounds to our dinners, introducing our group to some incredible individuals.

He also made a conscious effort to try new things. Every Sunday, we ate something from outside, and ‘I’ always tried something different, extending this habit of exploration beyond just food. He traveled to new places and embraced new experiences with enthusiasm.

Networking skills might come more easily to some than to others, but there’s no excuse for not trying to develop a habit of socializing and making contacts. You never know when a friend from the past might come to your aid. It’s also important to keep trying new things rather than repeating the same choices.

O: Listen and Learn

In a world where everyone is eager to share their experiences, ‘O’ was the one who listened attentively. He rarely interrupted anyone while they were sharing their story. If he was speaking and we cut in, he would let us finish before continuing.

His ability to listen carefully and provide supportive verbal cues (like “hmm”, “accha” and “okay”) made him an excellent listener. This quality likely contributed to his learning from others’ experiences.

Additionally, ‘O’ had a special way of talking with us that really made a difference. In times when most chats could easily become heated arguments, he managed to keep them calm and reasonable. Instead of just trying to win the argument with his own ideas, ‘O’ would actually listen to what others had to say, ask smart questions, and look for things we all agreed on. This didn’t just make our talks go smoother but also made us respect and understand each other more.

U: Thinking Long Term

From day one of university life, students face numerous stresses, including securing an on-campus job, finding summer internships, maintaining a good GPA, and balancing household chores while keeping healthy.

Yet, here was ‘U’, starting and ending each day with a smile and laughter, which amazed me. How can someone manage a happy and glowing face while so much is going on? That’s what I appreciated the most about U. Contrary to the typical student beliefs, he thought in the long term. He was confident that he’d do great in the long run and focused on long-term goals instead of worrying about short-term competitive opportunities.

Often, we forget that life is a marathon, not a sprint, and the real competition is with ourselves. Progress may be slow, but as long as you’re moving towards your long-term goals, that’s what counts. ‘U’ taught me to focus on the long term and steadily work towards those goals, allowing the stress of external pressures to fade, leading to a happier and more fulfilling life.